Physician Rating Sites

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Physician Rating Sites

I just looked at one of those physician rating sites — the ones where anybody can log on anonymously and say whatever they want.

I’m either the best or worst doctor in the world. No shades of grey.

There is some merit to those websites. I suppose if you’re checking out a physician and he or she has hundreds of negative comments from patients, you might be wary. The site I was referring to had five comments about me, two very negative and three hugely positive. I find it interesting that I see thousands of patients a year and only five have left comments.

Admittedly, from time to time, I generate anger in patients. Either I won’t or can’t give them what they want or they are people who come to the office with emotional issues or a chip on their shoulder generated by the healthcare system in general — people looking for an argument. Or I might just be having a bad day like every other human being.

And when I can’t give patients what they want or they don’t get things their way, the rating sites are a great way to “punish” me as a scapegoat for the entire medical system.

I’m sorry those patients feel the way they do. I especially love the people who claim that they only got a few seconds or minutes of time. We usually hear that from patients who didn’t expect to pay anything and find their insurance benefits don’t cover their entire bill. It’s the argument they use to try to get out of paying.

I’m only sorry they don’t have the guts to call the office and express their displeasure or discuss it with me. Anonymous angry postings are the coward’s way out.

Maybe we should have patient rating sites so we can warn other doctors to avoid mean patients. What’s good for the goose, you know.